Fifty years ago this October, the first shipment of fragile, fresh cut flowers from Colombia landed on U.S. soil.
What began as a well-researched experiment — and an effort to combat communism and illegal drugs — with that original $20,000 carnation shipment has bloomed into an industry that delivers $1 billion of roses, carnations and mums each year to America's biggest chain stores and mom-and-pop floral shops.
Since the 1980s, Colombia has been the largest supplier of cut flowers in the U.S., accounting for more than 75 percent of every stem you see in a bouquet.
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